More than one in three salmon released into the lake did not survive. This is the sad fact from Mowi’s plant “Kåholmen” at Hitra in Trøndelag. In 2022, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority carried out a company audit of seven farms belonging to the farming giant. Everyone had had problems for a long time. At four of the seven facilities that were examined, the mortality was over 30 percent for salmon released in 2020 and 2021. Classic example – These are ugly numbers. Mowi has been in the industry for a very long time. One should expect better from the world’s largest farming company, says professor emeritus Trygve Poppe. He worked for many years at Norway’s Veterinary College and is considered one of the country’s foremost researchers on fish health. Professor Trygve Poppe believes there is a frighteningly high death toll at the world’s largest farming company Photo: Stine Bækkelien / news – This has been going on for some time. And it is a classic example of poor animal welfare that culminates in death. This fish has been in pain for a long time, says Poppe to news. Negative development In the audit, Kåholmen came out with a mortality rate of 36.8%. But the businesses at Brettingen, Bjørlykkestranda and Austvika also ended the 1930s. None of the Mowi facilities examined by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority had a mortality rate of less than 16 percent. The figures show a negative development for the farming company, which has billionaire John Fredriksen and Folketrygdfondet as its largest shareholders. The salmon in previous productions had a significantly lower mortality rate. At the facility “Austvika” in Flatanger, the mortality rate for exposed fish in 2019 was 8.1%. In 2021, this had quadrupled to 33.4%. The average mortality in the farming industry is 15%. All seven Mowi facilities that were audited had a negative development. The speech of numbers. Four of Mowi’s facilities had a mortality rate of over 30%. None of the seven achieved their own targets for the salmon released in 2020 and 2021. Graphic: news “Some unfortunate cases” Communications director Ola Helge Hjetland in Mowi says that the operation at the seven facilities is not representative of the group’s operations. He points out that Mowi has 141 plants in Norway. He calls the findings in the report “some unfortunate cases”. – The fish’s welfare is important to Mowi for both ethical and financial reasons. It is in our interest that the fish should be as well as possible. At the plants that were investigated by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, there were special challenges with disease. Production is far better here now, and the mortality rate is below the average for the industry. Some unfortunate cases, says communications director Ola Helge Hjetland at Mowi about the high salmon mortality in the company. Photo: Mowi – Does that mean we won’t see such death tolls from Mowi again? – Special challenges can arise with illness. Everyone who works with livestock knows that. We work very hard every day to ensure that the fish are as well as possible. Releases sick and weak fish The Norwegian Food Safety Authority has several critical remarks about Mowi. The report states, among other things, that Mowi considers causes of mortality to a small extent against fish health and fish welfare challenges. “We have also observed that, to a small extent, current preventive and effective measures are put in place to avoid fish mortality with the same cause occurring again at the next release”, writes the Norwegian Food Safety Authority in the report. The breeding champion is also criticized for releasing fish that were not healthy. “The Norwegian Food Safety Authority has observed that weak/sick fish have been released”. The conclusion is that this is a breach of the regulations and the Aquaculture Regulations. – The Norwegian Food Safety Authority unfortunately found a failure in some of our routines. We have closed the deviations within the deadline and conditions have improved, says Hjetland in Mowi. Misses own goals The death tolls also collide with Mowi’s own goals. The company has an ambition that the mortality in the cages should be lower than 5 per cent in the northern region and 10 per cent in the central region. “Targets for survival were not reached at any of the 7 selected locations,” says the report from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. Trygve Poppe believes that it is earnings and the strong demands for financial dividends that drive Mowi. – Animal welfare and fish health take a back seat, he says. This is rejected by Ole Helge Hjetland in Mowi. – We are familiar with Poppe’s view. But to be financially successful in the aquaculture industry, good fish health is absolutely essential. We take this seriously. A cross of thought Professor Trygve Poppe also highlights another aspect: – The report shows over 30 per cent mortality. But here there are also fish that have been exposed to exactly the same treatment and have survived. How do you think it fared? It’s a crossword puzzle. – What are your challenges to the industry? – They should stop now and find solutions rather than increasing production. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority informs news that the findings made at the seven facilities of Mowi involve violations of the Animal Welfare Act. However, this will not have any financial consequences for the company in the form of fines or fines. Mowi just needs to change his routines. Hello! We are currently working a lot on matters concerning the farming industry. Do you have tips for us, or know something about the industry that you think we should know or check out? Feel free to send us an email! Alternatively, you can call us on 95.22.30.63. 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High salmon mortality at the world’s largest breeder – news Dokumentar
